The invention concerns a method and device for generating positive images, wherein films are developed and positive images produced. The invention also concerns a device having a continuous film processor and equipment for making positive images.
The number of photographic pictures taken at various occasions has been increasing worldwide for many years. In most cases, color-negative films are used. The exposed films (e.g. film rolls protected inside a canister) are usually brought to a delivery point from which they are transfered to an external photofinishing laboratory. The films are developed, for example, using a continuous film processor and, in a second step, positives pictures ("prints") are generated from the developed films, normally using photographic paper. The developed films (negatives) and the related prints are placed in an common envelope, which is returned to the customer.
The negatives are usually arranged in strips including a series of five or even more frames in dependence on the camera format and the type of envelope. The negatives can also be returned within an original cartridge which was used in the camera.
In recent years "Minilabs" have become popular, with which the essential photo-technical activity is performed directly at the delivery point location. Except for certain specific details (e.g. single film processing instead of splicing films to a large film roll) the processing is identical to that in the external (large) photographic laboratory. This is particularly the case for all problems related to handling of films and prints, in particular, with regard to logistic requirements.
After having seen the pictures, the customer often wants to acquire additional pictures from the newly developed film. In many cases only certain specific prints of the entire set are desired. The number of copies may vary over a wide range. For ordering, the customer must precisely specify the negativeframe (which may be numbered) and the number of prints ("reorders") which are to made. Since the complete film-strips, consisting of a plurality of negatives, are used in the standard re-order procedure, one must ensure that re-order prints are only manufactured from those pictures which are desired, and in the desired number of copies. Minimizing possible sources of error is therefore an important task in the re-order business.
DE-C1-42 10 171 discloses use of a standardized machine readable re-order card. The customer or vendor thereby fills out the re order-card, specifying the desired frame numbers and the type and number of copies. At the production location, these data are collected by a card reading unit and are transferred, together with the negatives strips, to conventional photographic printing units. In this conventional photographic printing environment, the negative strips must be extensively handled, adjusted, measured, analyzed and transported. At the end of this multi-step process, the negatives and re-order prints must be combined in a suitable way to ensure that the original negatives are returned to the customer together with the ordered prints in one common envelope, including invoicing information for the entire order.
When reordering using the re-order card in accordance with DE-C1-42 10 171, the customer must not only specify the frame number and number of prints, but also fields related to the print format and print surface, details of print design (e.g. white frame), and even blank fields for future service possibilities (new formats etc.) must be taken into account. This procedure causes additional potential sources of error. If the customer actually uses the full range of print formats, surfaces and designs, the logistic and technical problems at the photo finishing site grow exponentially, since each negative frame of each desired picture must be used at each printing device for the respective picture size, surface, design, etc. This is particularly problematic when the printing procedure for the re-order pictures is automatized. In this case, negative strips are glued together on a supporting ribbon band to produce a common roll having many strips from various customer orders, which is then passed to the automatic printing machine. In addition, an electronic copy of the order data must be established containing all order information required by the printing machine for creating the desired pictures using the respective negative frame as an image source. Clearly "mixed orders", wherein several different pictures must be printed (varying in size, surface, design, and batch number) from one negative frame create great logistic, technical and economic problems.
Additional significant problems arise in this procedure when, at the end of the printing process, with the pictures usually still joined together as a continuous band of pictures, picture quality inspection is effected to determine, that certain pictures must be printed again due to lack of picture quality (hue, density, scratches, dust, spots etc.). The associated prints must be marked and sorted out in a cutting device. The corresponding negative frame must also be sorted out, and the entire procedure repeated, in some cases, with improved correction data concerning hue and density.
When this final step is correctly performed, processing of the customer's order is terminated with the inclusion of price information on or in the customer's order envelope which is also passed to a central computer. In order to reduce manual data entries concerning the order, DE-C1-42 10 171 introduces the re-order card to a suitable reading unit. After insertion of a re-order card, the reader checks whether or not the fields marked on the recorder card ("aspect ratios" and "surface") agree with the previously recorded basic data. Should this be the case, processing is continued. Should the data differ, the reader automatically blocks further processing. In this way, errors arising from improper execution of the original order data, are automatically prevented.
DE-25 138 73 describes a method for the processing of orders for the fabrication of photographic copies from source images on short film. In this method, so-called data strips, which accommodate machine readable data, are mounted to the films. The film is delivered in envelopes, indicating film format, size and number of copies, as well as with machine readable data indicating the requestor or delivery location and the order number. In the photofinishing laboratory, large rolls of negative strips are formed and sorted according to negative and print formats, surface, design etc. At the end of the printing procedure, the ordered prints are present in the form of a continuous band and must be cut, separated and sorted in direct or reverse order of printing using a sorting and finishing facility and merged with the submitted film strips and order envelopes. The produced pictures are totaled and the processing data are read to determine the cost of the order for invoicing. The data strips carry the negative's frame number, the number of copies, the print format and design in a machine readable manner to facilitate reliable merging of the printed pictures, the negative frames and the envelope of the respective order. The data concerning delivery point and/or order number will be read from the order envelope by a preparation device and transferred onto the data strip. The data strips with the attached negative frames are then sorted with respect to film format, print format and design, including the order envelopes. Finally, the (rolls of) negatives, including the data strips, are fed to a photographic printing device adapted for printing on strip media.
The preparation device comprises a data reading unit for information concerning delivery point and order number of the envelope, an input device for data concerning film format, size, and number of desired copies and a device for writing extracted and entered data onto the data strip in a machine readable manner. An additional sorting device handles the data strips with attached negative frames and the order envelopes. Pair-wise disposed magazines maintain the sequence and order type (print format, surface, etc.).
The photographic printing device comprises a wheel printing unit, including an adapter for magazines containing the data strips with the attached negative frames, a handling unit for the data strips, a data input device for order information (e.g. number of prints), a carriage device with means for positioning the data strips including the negative frames, and a cycle control unit for the photographic printing process. A suitable sensor detects the "end of order" mark on the data strip and transfers it to the band of exposed photographic paper.
To merge prints, negatives and order envelope after the printing and development process, the unit contains a sorting and dispatch facility. This sorting and dispatch equipment comprises a cutting unit controlled by picture marks on the band of prints and including a sensor for "end of order" marks on the band which disables the cutting unit for the print ribbon when necessary. Handling and reading units for the data strips and envelopes are also provided to ensure correct merging of negatives, prints and order envelope.
Although portions of this procedure for processing re-orders are automated, a substantial degree of manual handling is required. The person operating the preparation unit must remove the data strips (with the attached negatives) from the order envelope and place them onto an inspection screen, where the negatives of the desired prints are checked for suitability. The position number of the relevant negatives on the strips must then be entered into the data input unit together with information concerning print size and number of prints. The empty order envelope is fed into a reading unit. The input unit stores this information until the respective data strip is fed into the unit and the stamping process on the data strip is performed. Additional information (customer, total number of strips of the current order etc.) is included. The validity of all data can be checked by the operating person using a display unit.
After stamping, transfer units move the data strips and order envelopes to a sorting device which sorts them into separate magazines according to print size data. The magazines containing the data strips are transferred to photographic printing devices. The data strips must be accurately fed into the printing unit. This is rather difficult since the composite samples (data strip attached to the film negative strips of various lengths) are tedious to adjust. When exposure has been performed, further development, inspection steps and invoicing related operations are carried out, as described above.
The procedure can only be used for customer orders requesting one picture size. In the event of mixed formats, the order must be split accordingly which increases logistic problems to an even greater extent.
DE-C2-20 66 177 discloses a device comprising a unit to cut single prints out of a roll of pictures using marks for each single print and end of order marks. The device also comprises a resetting picture-counter and a pricing and printing unit.
EP-06 52 480 discloses a method for processing film-strips for re-orders. The negative strips are thereby fed into a preparation unit, where they are attached to a continuous support band and merged into a common roll which is then transferred to printing units. The gluing process must be performed very accurately, since the precision of negative positioning governs the feed behavior and printing quality in the subsequent printing units. Clearly, the amount and the quality of the materials used play an important role. This system also requires additional tools and operation handling steps to execute re-orders from customers.
DE 42 33 228 A1 describes a photographic copying system having electronics for accelerating the printing of pictures from photographic (negative) films. The device comprises a continuous film processing unit, an optical image sensor unit, an image processing unit and a picture printing unit. The image sensor unit scans the (negative) film during development thereof and is positioned between the development stage and the final drying stage. The image processing unit executes digital correction algorithms taking into consideration film-type, frame-type, gamma adaptation, printing characteristics and customer demands. The printing device creates a picture in accordance with the collected image data. The device may be designed as a printer/processor combination.
DE 43 40 757 A1 discloses a similar combined processing/printing/processing unit. In contrast to DE 42 33 228 A1, the scanning unit is positioned after the drying stage of the (negative) film processor. The printing devices includes two exposure systems for light sensitive printing material, to create pictures or specific additional image feature (for example index prints) in one pass per order.
Both systems have significant disadvantages with regard to re-orders from the customer or re-makes (quality failed prints which must be remade in the laboratory after the first printing step), since the negative strip cannot be fed through the apparatus a second time. In this case a second scanning procedure, including a second external scanning device would be necessary, entailing even more devices and increased handling and costs.
In DE 42 33 228 A1, the image sensor is within the chemical rich environment of the film processor. Aggressive chemical vapors and high temperatures of about 40.degree. C. have to be taken into account, requiring extensive encapsulation as well as cooling devices to decrease noise inside the CCD-image sensor. Moreover, both systems physically require the original negative frame for re-make or re-order prints.
EP 07 35 420 A1 discloses a device for creating positive images using image data on the back side of the print. Since negative image information is usually of high volume, the writing of data on a print's back side requires very high storage density and excessive use of data compression algorithms. Special devices are therefore needed for reading and writing the image information on the backside of the print. Clearly, the customer also needs the print in order to be able to request newly desired copies. The common practice of gluing personal prints in albums, of cutting, of putting them into large frames or even pinning them to the wall clearly shows the very limited practical use of the proposal according to EP 07 35 420 A1.
Despite the large number of sophisticated specialized units required by state of the art devices, additional manual handling operations and detailed organization schemes are nevertheless needed to create positive prints (copies) of exposed photographic films. Error reduction for reorders and cycle times for print generation have not been significantly reduced despite the large number of devices and the additional special operations involved.
It is the underlying purpose of this invention to improve the state of the art methods and devices for making positive images described above with respect to maximizing throughput and minimizing handling procedures, without requiring a second scanning process or a second scanning device for the films.